Led annually by UK charity Alcohol Change UK, Alcohol Awareness Week runs from 7-13 July 2025 and this year’s theme is ‘alcohol and work’.
When it comes to alcohol, how does the work we do influence our drinking and our drinking impact our work? These are the questions we will be diving into across Southend during this year’s Alcohol Awareness Week.
Alongside thousands of charities, community groups, local authorities, GP surgeries and businesses rallying behind Alcohol Awareness Week (7-13 July 2025), there are also events taking place in Southend-on-Sea to commemorate the week. On Saturday 12th July, a Recovery Walk celebrating those who have successfully addressed their difficulties with alcohol and drugs is taking place from 11am – 2pm at Priory Park. The Recovery Walk will set off from the bandstand, where there will be live music from Terry Lee and The Power Of Sound SVP.
Around 10 million of us are regularly drinking alcohol in ways that can harm our health and wellbeing. From headaches, hangovers and sleepless nights to lower productivity and symptoms like anxiety and depression worsening over time, alcohol affects us in so many ways.
At the same time, the world of work is constantly changing. Lots of us are working longer hours, feeling more stress and experiencing a blurring of lines between work and home, while alcohol-centric workplace cultures are still a reality for so many. Moving in and out of work, whether planned or unplanned, can also affect us and our drinking habits - from unemployment and retirement to parental leave and caring responsibilities. These transitions can sometimes leave us feeling unsettled, bored, isolated and lonely, causing us to drink more alcohol and face additional challenges with our physical and mental health, relationships, finances and more.
That’s why, from offices and factories to shift-work and front-line services, this year's Alcohol Awareness Week seeks to unravel the complex relationship between alcohol work and celebrate the benefits that individuals, organisations and communities can unlock through fostering healthier, safer and more respectful workplace cultures across different industries, sectors and types of work.
Dr Richard Piper, CEO of Alcohol Change UK, the charity behind Alcohol Awareness Week, said:
“Whether it’s used as a team bonding tool, a reward or as a default for Friday night drinks or networking events, alcohol is often made to feel like the main attraction, particularly at workplace socials, to the point where many of us are made to feel uncomfortable or excluded if we don’t drink or want to drink less alcohol – no matter our reason.
“And when work stresses, career changes, shifts in our working patterns or life outside work start to get on top of us, we can find ourselves using alcohol to try to cope. But the reality is that drinking alcohol to manage stress and anxiety can often worsen our symptoms and prevent us from performing, and feeling, our best. We can also feel these stresses when we’re freelancing, volunteering, or studying at university and that’s why we chose to take a deeper look at the link between alcohol and work for this year’s Alcohol Awareness Week. We look forward to seeing how our supporters including [your org] explore the theme, getting us all thinking about how alcohol shows up at work and in our day-to-day activities.”
Throughout the week, Livewell Southend, Alcohol Change UK and wider supporters of Alcohol Awareness Week will promote honest, positive and thought-provoking conversations about alcohol and work, while celebrating the health, wellbeing, productivity and economic benefits of fully inclusive approaches to alcohol in the workplace.
It is easy to take part in Alcohol Awareness Week. Join us by:
- Watching and sharing Alcohol Change UK’s new film - exploring the effects of alcohol on our health and wellbeing and how this can show up at work, launching at the start of Alcohol Awareness Week
- Sharing your experiences, events and activities on social media using the hashtag #AlcoholAwarenessWeek and tagging @AlcoholChangeUK.
- Use the Alcohol Change UK resources to highlight the issues and drive a conversation in your community.